Guest guest Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Sunday, June 18, 2006, 6:22:17 PM, you wrote: > I will be getting my 1st fill in a couple of weeks and would like to > know if the fluro is needed or not??? > I can go to a Dr & have the fluro done for 400$ each fill plus 250$ > start up fee. Or I could go to fillcenter and they do it for 150$ but > do not use the fluro. > Please let me know differant opinions on this, as I need to make up my > mind quick. Thanks I believe in getting a fluoro annually...but if the fill person knows what they're doing most would say it isn't necessary. However, I've never had a fill without it, and don't plan to. So....you pay your money and take your choice. dan -- Dan Lester, Boise, ID honu@... www.mylapband.tk Dr. Ortiz, Tijuana, 4/28/03 323/209/199 Age 63 The road goes on forever..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 All of my fills have been with flouro and I would be concerned about getting fills without it. Without flouro, you basically get a little more fluid added to your band each time you go in. How much do they put in? Who knows? I hear people talk about specific amounts - 5ML, 3oz, a gallon and a half - which one is correct? Everyone is different so, I assume that each person needs a different amount and it doesn't matter what others get, you just need the appropriate amount for you. During my fills with flouro, you can see the video of the barium flowing down into the pouch and they basically put enough fluid in my band to close it so no barium gets by then draw out a little fluid so the band opens up again and you can see the fluid passing. They will then give me a cup of water to make sure I don't have any problems swallowing before I leave the office. Imagine that you are standing outside your house at the valve (called a hose bib) where the hose connects to the faucet. The water is running wide-open through the sprinkler (like your band before a fill) and your goal is to slow down the flow to a small stream so that you are only watering a small section of your yard. You could turn the valve a quarter turn at a time and go around to the sprinkler to check each time if the flow is correct. Or, you could close the valve all the way and then open it a bit to get the slow flow through the sprinkler. To accomplish the same thing with your band (the small opening), it would be difficult unless you use a flouro to see your insides at work. My best, . bslimsarah wrote: > I will be getting my 1st fill in a couple of weeks and would like to > know if the fluro is needed or not??? > I can go to a Dr & have the fluro done for 400$ each fill plus 250$ > start up fee. Or I could go to fillcenter and they do it for 150$ but > do not use the fluro. > Please let me know differant opinions on this, as I need to make up my > mind quick. Thanks > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 one other thing to consider,, are you self pay? If you are i would opt for flouro - a blind stick going through the tubing may be rare (i dont know) but common sense says its more of a possibility if they are poking blind. And you would have to pay for the repair. Protect your band is my motto regards johnette > > know if the fluro is needed or not??? >> > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Most fluoros are used to test the fill after it is given, and not used to locate the port. These are 2 separate and entirely different uses of the fluoro with banding. The fluro used for locating the port always exposes the fill person't hands to radiation, and therfore is used only when absolutely essential. Even the MX docs don't use fluoro to routinely locate the port, if they can feel it. Flioros, then, are not very useful to avoid tubing punctures. SAndy R > > one other thing to consider,, are you self pay? If you are i would opt > for flouro - a blind stick going through the tubing may be rare (i dont > know) but common sense says its more of a possibility if they are > poking blind. And you would have to pay for the repair. Protect your > band is my motto > > regards > johnette > > > > > know if the fluro is needed or not??? > >> > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 //MoonshadowRN@... writes: Flioros, then, are not very useful to avoid tubing punctures. SAndy R// Sandy, I am confused. When having a fill under Fluro the person can not visually see the port? How do they know where to insert the needle? Are you saying that having a fill under fluro is equal to having a fill without it? Kim 401/250 DS 5/5/02 250/215140 Banded 1/16/06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 , //blizzrd03@... writes: (hopefully I will lose the belly fat one day and it won't be deep!))// Is it the belly fat that makes the port deep? My port was deep for my last fill also and I had my fill exactly how you explained. Recently I have noticed the presence of my port. I can now feel it and it gets in the way a lot when I am trying to lay on my tummy (So you think that's what breast implants are like!) I do not like the fact that my port is just floating around and moving like it does...couldn't it do damage to something? Just plain weird to me! lol Kim 401/250 DS 5/5/02 250/215/140 Banded 1/16/06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Just wanted to add my thoughts about fill under fluoro. My surgeon only does it that way and I couldn't imagine it any other way. He even uses the machine to locate my port and make sure the needle is positioned correctly before he injects the saline (turns out that my port is very deep (hopefully I will lose the belly fat one day and it won't be deep!)) then you drink some barium and we watch the screen and see the liquid slowly making its way. more saline, more slowly going through. i just had my second fill and fluro seems the way to go. --------------------------------- Talk is cheap. Use Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I returned to my surgeon and had my first fill done under fluoro. The rest of mine have been done more locally, and without fluoro. My fill doctor does not use it, and judges what he will give by your weight loss, what you are able to eat, and what problems, if any, you are having with your current level of restriction. The result is maybe more fills, creeping up on restriction. It took me 4 fills to get it right, and I think that is about normal whether you have them done under fluoro or not. My Mexican surgeon does not use fluro to access the port anyway, just to check fluid levels. NANCY 8/14/04 -85 > > I will be getting my 1st fill in a couple of weeks and would like to > know if the fluro is needed or not??? > I can go to a Dr & have the fluro done for 400$ each fill plus 250$ > start up fee. Or I could go to fillcenter and they do it for 150$ but > do not use the fluro. > Please let me know differant opinions on this, as I need to make up my > mind quick. Thanks > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 All of the fills I have had done have been without fluro. My first fill I got very nervous, mostly my issue because I hate needles, and didn't go very well. The doc said we could do fluro, so I went for one, and never got it done because the person before me had some kind of complications and by the time they got her out, my doc had to go for surgery. The next fill I had, I took a tylenol with codene so I wouldn't be so bothered by the pain, and that went very well. It was without fluro. I think the important thing is to feel comfortable with the doc who is doing the fill. My doc has no trouble locating my port, and removes all the fluid before even adding anything to it. This checks to make sure what was in there from the last fill is still there. If you want to " see " what is going on, then fluro is the right thing. But if you have enough confidence in your fill doctor, then fluro is not necessary, I think. Corina > > I will be getting my 1st fill in a couple of weeks and would like to > know if the fluro is needed or not??? > I can go to a Dr & have the fluro done for 400$ each fill plus 250$ > start up fee. Or I could go to fillcenter and they do it for 150$ but > do not use the fluro. > Please let me know differant opinions on this, as I need to make up my > mind quick. Thanks > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I am not sure where you are located but my doctor in Costa Rica uses fluro and it is a more accurate method because he does not have to poke around, he sees what he is doing right through the monitor. The hospital fee is 43.00 and then his fee, comes to about 100.00 but you can make sure with him. He also gives you the xray of what he has done. If you want here is his information. Dr. Gustavo Jimenez 506-522-1000 ext. 2305 506-826-1968 cell gjimenez@... > > I will be getting my 1st fill in a couple of weeks and would like to > know if the fluro is needed or not??? > I can go to a Dr & have the fluro done for 400$ each fill plus 250$ > start up fee. Or I could go to fillcenter and they do it for 150$ but > do not use the fluro. > Please let me know differant opinions on this, as I need to make up my > mind quick. Thanks > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Kim, This is very confusing, for sure. Fluoroscopy has several uses with banding. (1) The fluoro can be used to locate a very deep or twisted port, so the needle can be more easily inserted However, most experiened docs do not need to do this often. The highly-experienced docs can feel even very deep ports most of the time, so do not need to use the fluoro this way (and also do not need to expose themselves and YOU to this extra radiation). When using the fluoro tom locate a port, the practitioner's hands are right in the field of radiation, and this is best avoided if at all possible. You can see how years of exposure this way is very dangerous. most people never need to have a fluor to locate the port, as it is usually easily felt. Some, howver, do need it. As we lose weight, the port becomes more and more superficial, and easier to locate even with the " diffisult " ports. (2) the most common use of fluoros with a fill is to test the fill before and after it is given. This is an entirely different thing than using the fluoro to LOCATE the port. The doc will have you drink the barium and stand in front of the fluoro machine, where it wil show the barium actually going through the stoma. This gives a good (but not perfect) clue as to how real food will go thru the stoma. After the doc sees on the fluoro what your present restriction is, he may want to adjust your fill - more or less. Then, he will again have you drink the barium and see how the new fill level looks on the fluoro. He can then add or subtract some of the fill again if needed. Most of the MX docs use fluoros with every, or almost every, fill - to test the level of resriction. Most US docs do not. (3) Flouros are also used to diagnose trouble. They can show a band slip, a way-too-tight fill that is not allowing things thrpugh, a dilated pouch, an enlarged esophagus, and other trouble that can then be treated before it gets worse. The port, the tubing, and ther band are all impregnated with a special substabce that shows up on Fluoroscopy. But fluorosopy always involves a degree of radiation, so using it minimally is best whenever possible. Hope this helps explain it - if not, Ill try again - and other may have a better explanation anyway! Sandy R -- In , kimburch1@... wrote: > > > //MoonshadowRN@... writes: > Flioros, then, are not very useful to avoid tubing punctures. SAndy R// > > > Sandy, > I am confused. When having a fill under Fluro the person can not visually > see the port? How do they know where to insert the needle? Are you saying > that having a fill under fluro is equal to having a fill without it? > > > > > Kim > 401/250 DS 5/5/02 > 250/215140 Banded 1/16/06 > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 In a message dated 6/20/2006 11:00:50 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, MoonshadowRN@... writes: //The highly-experienced docs can feel even very deep ports most of the time, so do not need to use the fluoro this way (and also do not need to expose themselves and YOU to this extra radiation). // My port was deep when I needed my first fill and my Dr. sent me to get fluro. I am glad he did! At the hospital even the Radiologist (I think that is who would have done the fill?) even had a hard time. He had to press on my tummy so much I had bruises the next day! He also said that where the needle goes in on the port it is hard to puncture, you have to be right on it to get the needle in and that is where he was having the problems (the port was not only deep it was a little tilted) and this was under fluro! In this type of situation where the port is deep it seems to me that the Dr. would be wise to send you for fluro. I don't do this everyday so this is just my one time experience view! Is there a weight loss amount that would indicate the needing of a new fill? Any averages? Kim 401/250 DS 5/5/02 250/215/140 Banded 1/16/06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Of course, any time the port is not easily felt, fluoro should be used. You should never allow more than maybe 3-4 pokes to try to get it. more than that is a big risk for tubing puncture. The area on the port where the needle goes in is the size of a dime. when this is 6 incges deep, you ca see how difficult it might be to hit! As we lose weight, we will need more fill periodically. But it is not a clear formula, like " every 30 # needes another fill " . It is the shrinking of the fat around the stomach and in your belly that loosens the band, and this is not lost at a regular rate. There are several factors that might indicate we need another fill. I wrote a guide for the Kuri patients about when to consider another fill. I'll get it into the files here sometime today, hopefully, and let you know when it is there. Sandy R www.BandsterME.com - Guided Imagery for Bandster Behaviral changes > > In a message dated 6/20/2006 11:00:50 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, > MoonshadowRN@... writes: > > //The highly-experienced docs can feel even very deep ports most > of the time, so do not need to use the fluoro this way (and also do > not need to expose themselves and YOU to this extra radiation). // > > My port was deep when I needed my first fill and my Dr. sent me to get > fluro. I am glad he did! At the hospital even the Radiologist (I think that is > who would have done the fill?) even had a hard time. He had to press on my > tummy so much I had bruises the next day! He also said that where the needle > goes in on the port it is hard to puncture, you have to be right on it to get > the needle in and that is where he was having the problems (the port was not > only deep it was a little tilted) and this was under fluro! In this type of > situation where the port is deep it seems to me that the Dr. would be wise to > send you for fluro. I don't do this everyday so this is just my one time > experience view! > > Is there a weight loss amount that would indicate the needing of a new fill? > Any averages? > > > > > Kim > 401/250 DS 5/5/02 > 250/215/140 Banded 1/16/06 > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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